Anchored Halos and Half Wings
by PerfectPerception
Summary: When Lilly’s death comes too soon she makes a deal with the devil to convince someone else to exchange their soul for hers. But when she’s appointed to an egotistical boy with a great head of hair, things don’t go entirely as planned. LOE. Discontinued.
1. The Truth About Heaven

**Warnings:** Loose mentions of religion are made throughout the story. Nothing too bad though, but it's called for because of the plot.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't claim any following mentioned characters or brands.

It was a loud collision. Sparks flew from crunched metal twisted and contorted into grotesque positions. The sound was almost unbearable, exploding into eardrums; glass shattering into a million and more pieces, all scattered across the paved gravel. It was fast. _So fast_. Plowing uncontrollably across the bare street until it eventually stopped when it had struck a tree, gasps were contained in passing cars until a half of dozen of them came to a screeching halt, screams and cell phones held close to their mouths.

No survivors.

"Hello? Hello? I'd like to report a car accident, I – _oh god_, it's terrible! Please, please send someone to help! No, no, I don't see anyone moving – does that. . . oh please, good lord, save the poor soul!"

-  
-

_My eyes are opened. Why is everything so black? Where am I? What happened?_

"You're dead." The answer was brutal and sharp. "Strain your eyes more, you'll eventually see again."

She did as she was told, feeling heat rise to her face as she concentrated hard on trying to outline her surroundings seemingly painted with complete darkness. Gradually the black fog lifted and her vision cleared, suddenly finding herself facing a man wearing a gray suit monitoring her carefully through disdainful eyes.

"Lillian Truscott," he read from the clipboard located in his left hand, directing his previous gaze from her and toward it to briefly scan over the paperwork. He walked around her and toward the blank room's ebony desk, propping himself promptly in its seat. "16. Parents divorced. Fair grades."

As he continued speaking, Lilly then noticed she was sprawled across the room's forest green carpet and quickly fumbled to her feet to better level herself with the strange man. She took a few cautious steps forward, touching the two seats facing his desk to make certain this wasn't a dream she was currently trapped in. "Who are you? Where. . . Where am I?"

He cocked an eyebrow at her questions and titled his head slightly to indicate to the wall aside of them. In return she turned toward its direction, her eyes widening when she read one of the hanging signs: WELCOME TO HELL.

Suddenly, a bubbling feeling, something akin to fear, terror, panic, and hysteria all mixed into one messy emotion, exploded within her.

"_I'm in hell_?!" she screamed. "But-but – I didn't anything _wrong_! This has to be a mistake – I'm not even supposed to be dead yet!"

"Hmm, it appears no one was anticipating your death quite yet," answered the man steadily. "That's why you were sent here. There weren't enough preparations made 'upstairs' for your death. They're out of space."

Lilly felt tears prickle at her eyes at the idea of no longer existing on earth with such a compromising future ahead of her, the aspect of going to hell just didn't seem to mean anything. She was _dead_ for heaven's sake. Sinking realization had seemingly drowned the worry of going to hell out.

"So they're sending me here instead?" she cried faintly, bringing trembling hands to cradle her aching face. "I wasn't even supposed to _die_ today?"

"Correct, which gives _me_ a reason to help you live again," the man answered, suddenly her terror was shadowed with curiosity.

Anxiety ballooned in her stomach at the word 'live', however, she wasn't ignorant, she knew she'd have to pay some sort of wager in return. The blonde dropped her hands from her face, regaining her earlier composure and faced the seated man. "Live again? But how? I'm already dead, right?"

"Technically, your soul was meant for Heaven," he explained, "I have really no use for you. But if you can exchange your soul with someone else's that's doomed to here, then I suppose there's no reason why I _can't_ grant your life back."

"But wouldn't that be weird? I mean, if I died today and didn't get my soul exchanged for someone else's until another month or so and then just hopped back into earth, wouldn't that be strange? Scientifically impossible?" Lilly frowned, the proprosal seemed to become less and less appealing as she continued to think it over. Yeah, this definitely didn't sound like a good idea at all.

"If you successfully exchange your soul with another's than you'd be placed on earth an hour before you died." he informed.

Lilly felt her frown deepen as hopelessness gradually wrapped around her mind, rendering her even more forlorn than before. "But how could I convince someone to exchange their soul with mine? That's _impossible_. Everyone wants to live."

"I'm perfectly certain you'll find _some_ way to persuade them otherwise," he smiled wickedly. "If you're desperate enough to live again, that is. And you are, aren't you Lillian?"

"Yes," she breathed despondently before she could control herself. "More than anything." It wasn't her time to go, no, not with her SATs coming up, junior prom, road trips, dates, eventually graduating, going to college, getting married, starting her own family. It just wasn't her time to go. Not now.

His smile widened at her response. "Then sign on the dotted line," he ordered as he pushed the clipboard holding several documents compiled to appear to be somewhat of a contract across the desk and toward her. He then snapped his fingers and a red pen materialized in her previously empty hand. "I'm giving you two months to complete the task. If you fail, then you're condemned to here for eternity as I assume you already know. But do keep in mind, you're allowed to do _anything_ in order to obtain the assigned soul. Lie, deceit, _nothing_ is wrong my books. Do what you can."

"So. . . then, how do I make it official?" She swallowed down the fear and anxiety rising in her throat. Was she really making a deal like _this_? This forbidden?

"The appointed soul must simply say he or she wants to exchange souls," the man answered. "And if you happen to follow through with the exchange you won't be judged by it when you eventually _do_ die, therefore, given an equal chance to enter heaven. Now with that said, just sign and you'll be assigned to someone to retrieve their soul."

Lilly inhaled a deep breath, feeling as if she was flushing down every moral she once associated herself with. This was _wrong_. But her unexpected death was just as bad. She didn't want to die yet. She had _so_ many things to do and even more things to accomplish. She just simply _couldn_'_t_ be dead. The feeling of guilt was suddenly overshadowed with complete denial and desperation.

"Alright, deal." she eventually agreed, slowly embedding her name on the paper.

"Excellent," he smirked, "try your best and remember, it's _your_ life that's at stake." He held out his hand, ugly and contorted with a tint of red in the skin's pigment. She hesitantly took it, wearily shaking his significantly larger hand with hers. "Lillian Truscott, you've just made a deal with the devil himself."

Suddenly everything went black.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Well, yeah. Um, end of chapter, woo? Anyways, I really enjoy the concept of the story but I'd also really like some sort of feedback on what _you_ guys think. I might delete and repost if I feel it isn't up to snuff with my inspiration and whatnot. Or I might just delete for good, whatcha think?


	2. Stay On The Ground

**Warnings:** Loose mentions of religion are made throughout the story. Nothing too bad though, but it's called for because of the plot.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't claim any following mentioned characters or brands.

Lilly groaned, prying her eyes open after shifting to her side only to discover she wasn't in the same room with the unidentifiable man anymore. Instead, she was located within a large, messy one with blue carpet and matching blue bed sheets kicked right beside her head. She jerked back before sitting upward, backing herself against the nearest wall.

A clipboard, similar to the one the man had handled earlier, was placed astray of her and she cautiously picked the plastic board up, scanning over the papers attached to it.

_Lillian Truscott, with your full permission and consent, you signed a contract with the devil, hereby committing yourself to the previously discussed deal. To refresh your memory, it will be restated in writing:_

_You promised if you were able to successfully exchange your soul with an assigned other's within a two month time span, you will be granted back your own life. If you succeed or fail you will also not be judged for making such a pact and exchange with the devil and will be given the equal opportunity to pass through Heaven when your real deliberation day has come. With that confirmed, here is your appointed soul:_

_Joseph Adam Jonas_

–What, _wait_?!

She blinked, rereading the underlined name. The name **Joseph Adam Jonas** stared unwavering back at her panic-stricken eyes. No. This couldn't be true. _Jonas_? That couldn't be right. . . She was assigned to steal _Joe Jonas's_ soul?

Why on earth did he _owe_ his soul anyways? Wasn't he, like, incredibly religious to begin with?

Lilly shook her thoughts away, carefully pulling herself to her feet. She'd figure out what he did later. Now all she wanted to concentrate on was to gather her bearings and figure out exactly how the hell she'd successfully con Joe Jonas out of his extraordinary valuable soul.

Glancing at the clipboard, she flipped the first sheet of paper explaining the contract she signed over and groaned when the next was filled with text. There wasn't a manual on how to exchange a soul in sight. But she supposed the devil wouldn't make it _that_ easy, he'd love to see her squirm a little. Even more so if she shamefully couldn't complete what she promised. He _had_ to know Lilly was hardly a quitter and a very, **very** sore loser.

The body beside her stirred and her hand gripping the clipboard had fallen limply to her side, her eyes widening as her own body stiffened and rendered itself motionless. Instead all she could to do was watch the half-slumbering boy roll to his side before he groggily pried his eyes open, blinking slowly to clear his blurred vision.

The blonde bit her lip. For waking up – she glanced at the digital clock resting on the burrow aside of his bed, quickly reading the time bolded in red letters on the device – five in the morning, he was _damn_ cute.

At first Joe didn't seem particularly interested in her invading presence, sleep still clinging desperately at his body. Then realization had hit him – quite forcibly might I add.

"What the _hell_?" So far for being a good Christian. Joe yelped, losing balance in the process, and flipped off his mattress, colliding headfirst into his room's mesh carpet.

Lilly contained a squeal before hurrying toward the fallen celebrity, bending down to level herself with the flushed boy. He picked the upper proportion of his body up, groaning as he rubbed his aching head, before locking eyes with Lilly's. Instantly he jerked his head back, pinning himself against the side of his mattress as his eyes widened with complete terror.

"Oh god, _please_ don't scream – take anything, _anything_, you want from my room. Just don't take pictures or go into my brother's rooms or –"

"And why exactly would I want to scream _or_ take pictures?" she questioned, swiftly cutting him across.

He blinked, clamping his mouth shut upon her interruption before answering, "well, there's really not a _good_ explanation of why you're in my room other than assuming you're a fan that somehow managed to get past security."

"Oh. . . _Oh_. No, no, I'm not a fan and I'm not stalking you," she assured, well, half-assured. She was definitely a fan. _Definitely_ a big fan. "I'm just dead."

Joe's face perked at her last statement, cocking a challenging eyebrow in return. "You're _dead_?" he repeated. Wow, this one's a complete nutter. "Alrighty then." There was bold underlining of sarcasm to his tone and she felt her eyes narrow at his mockery.

"You think I'm _lying_?!" she hissed harshly and he didn't reply; biting his bottom lip nervously as the blonde glowered at him through fierce, ice-blue eyes. She took his lack of a response as a meek yes. "Call someone in here, ask if _they_ can see me and we'll 'see' whose lying!"

Joe quickly snapped out of his apparent stunned trance, sharply retorting, "call someone in here? Why? So you can meet another Jonas brother? I _sure as hell_ don't think so!" He stared determinedly at Lilly before lifting himself to his feet, now towering over the short girl adjacent from him. "Listen, I'm gonna be a nice guy about this and _not_ call security or the police and just ask you to leave, alright?"

"_Trust me_," she insisted bitterly, folding her arms tightly across her chest. "I would if I could."

Despite her boiling frustration she felt a pang of disappointment within the hardened depths of her heart. This wasn't the Joe she had first met a year ago when she, rather – _Otus_, and Miley, err _Milo_, attempted to sabotage the brothers' recording time at the studio because of her friend's jealousy. He appeared to be a genuine, nice person. _This_ Joe, however, seemed far from the boy she initially assumed he was. But then again, maybe he was just fantastic at making first impressions, or maybe she really did look like the fifth girl this week trying to stalk her way into his house.

Just as he was about to respond the room's door swung open, revealing his older brother, Kevin, standing underneath its threshold. Sleep was still evident in his cherubic face and he ran a hand lazily through his head of curls, yawning as he asked, "What's with the noise, Joe? It's, like, five in the morning. _Normal_ people are usually asleep right about now."

Joe's eyes widened, glancing at Lilly whom wore an according smug expression. He felt his insides turn unpleasantly at the sight of the blonde's satisfaction and decided he'd try to kill it by any means necessary. "_Hello_ Kevin. **Her**!" He jabbed a finger directly towards Lilly who raised an eyebrow in return.

Kevin blinked, glancing at the apparent said girl Joe was pointing manically at. He saw nothing. Absolutely nothing. "Joe. . ." he began carefully. "You didn't find my stash of pixie sticks, did you?"

"You have a stash of pixie sticks?"

"What? No." Kevin lied. "What I meant was, you haven't been. . . eating anything sugary, have you? You know how you are when you get your sugar highs."

"Wait, so you don't see her – at, like, all?" Kevin shook his head and Joe withdrew his accusing finger, dropping his arm to his side. "But she's right _there_. She just stuck her tongue out at me and called me an idiot – you didn't see or hear any of that?!"

"You better get some more sleep bro," smirked the elder Jonas. Kevin waved lightly at Joe before heading down the hallway and towards the kitchen.

Once Kevin was out of earshot Joe returned his gaze back upon Lilly, feeling his eyebrows furrow together in desperate confusion. "But-but. . ." he trailed off, realization sinking slowly in. "Does that mean I can see _dead_ people?"

Lilly rolled her eyes before shaking her head. "No, no. Don't flip your lid, okay? You can only see _me_ because. . ." she paused, lies streaking across her mind before she managed to pull a decent one from the others, "I'm your guardian angel."

"Guardian angel?" he repeated, clearly unconvinced.

"Yeah. That's why no one else can see me – I'm not significant in their lives," she continued, lies effortlessly falling from her mouth. And up until now she thought she was a terrible liar. How wrong was she! Well, desperation tended to bring the worst and best out of people. Apparently, it brought the _best_ out of her _worst_ trait. "I was sent here because, uh, because you're obviously doing something _immoral_."

"And what exactly are you supposed to do about it?" he questioned accusingly.

"Well apparently your soul is sold to the devil already because of a sin you committed," she replied lightly. "So, just hand your soul over to me and we can save all the future pain and agony!"

"Fat chance!" scoffed Joe. "If you haven't figured out already, I _like_ living. I've been blessed with a pretty amazing life that I'm _not_ going to give up. You're wasting your time. So you can just go back to heaven or wherever you came from."

Lilly narrowed her eyes at the young popstar. "Oh, trust me, I'm not going _anywhere_."

"And what do you think you're going to do?" Joe challenged the fuming blonde.

"I can promise you it won't be pretty," she answered, "because, I assure you, I'm staying _right_ here; right with you."

Joe rolled his eyes before pivoting; making a quick beeline for his door as he headed out of his room. Without hesitation Lilly was on his heels, intending to follow through with her deal even if it killed her, literally.

This was going to be a long two months.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **I wonder what Lilly has in store for Joe. Hmmm. Well, you'll have to stay tuned for the next chapter to find out. Reviews?


	3. Being Your Walls

**Warnings:** Loose mentions of religion are made throughout the story. Nothing too bad though, but it's called for because of the plot.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't claim any following mentioned characters or brands.

"You're up early," greeted Nick when he spotted the middle Jonas hop down the last of the stairs, appearing aggravated and flushed. He didn't receive a response and proceeded to munch on his bowl of dry Lucky Charm cereal.

Kevin glanced at Joe as he began to pour milk in his own bowl filled with CoCo Puffs, informing curtly, "Joe thought there was a girl in his room today ready to proclaim her undying love for him. Fortunately, it wasn't true. We couldn't possibly allow his ego to get any bigger, it'll definitely burst."

"I didn't say she wanted me!" snarled Joe before snatching Kevin's bowl away and claimed it as his own. "I think she hates me, actually. She's pretty good at insulting me."

"Then she's definitely my kind of girl." smirked Kevin.

There was a perturbed expression on Nick's face, his eyes shifting from his cereal to his older brother. "So you're telling me that Kevin's right. That you think there's a girl in your room."

"No," Joe answered before adding hastily to dim the relief in Nick's eyes, "she followed me downstairs."

Whilst the siblings' conversation Lilly walked nearby, disappointed she hadn't obtained the ability to fly but figured since she was a near she-devil, she didn't deserve wings or an opportunity to whine about it for that matter. She sighed at the determination in Joe's eyes and at the concern in the ones belonging to his brothers. They definitely didn't believe a word he had claimed to be the truth. Though she didn't think that was hard, considering how farfetched his statements deemed themselves to be.

"You really think they're going to believe you?" she inquired evenly from the sidelines. "They might be your brothers but _this_ is a bit obscure."

Joe glanced at Lilly's direction, narrowing his eyes in irritation. Kevin and Nick followed their brother's glare and found nothing that resembled a girl or anything out of order. Nick was the first to return his gaze onto Joe, frowning as he reasoned, "you're probably tired, Joe. After recording and promoting. Plus, you tend to be an insomniac so I think sleep is your best option to rid your. . . er, _girl_ problems."

"Nick's right," agreed Kevin, gathering the last of Joe's attention towards them. "After you eat my cereal I think you should head upstairs and sleep in for the rest of the day. Mom and dad will understand."

"Guys, sleep isn't my problem," Joe assured firmly though he could tell his brothers' expressions had to strongly disagree with him and he begrudgingly gave in. "Whatever."

He then pushed the bowl aside with his spoon now swimming amidst the milk and cereal and stormed his way up the stairs. Lilly quickly followed the angered vocalist and felt herself get a rise out of his brothers' reactions to his apparent insanity. She knew she shouldn't feel this satisfied but there was no denying that it felt nice to stomp on his oversized ego.

When Lilly brought herself to look Joe squarely in the face she found frustration and loath in his inky eyes. "Thanks to you," he began bitterly, "my brothers think I'm mental! And you know what? I'm beginning to think I am too!"

"You think you're mental?" mused the blonde.

"Well, maybe I'm, like, a schizo or something – you know, like that guy in _A Beautiful Mind_." Joe continued. "'Cause apparently I can't see dead people and that's the only other option I can think of."

"I don't think schizophrenics can feel their hallucinations," she offered.

"Why would you say that?" Lilly rolled her eyes before smacking her palm against the back of his head. "Hey ow!"

"You _so_ know you had that coming."

"That hurt like a bitch! Damn, you've got one hell of an arm." grumbled Joe, a sour expression painting itself across his face as he cradled his throbbing head.

"Again with your swearing," she sighed disapprovingly. "You've gotta keep that in check. But, then again, seeing as you're not going to Heaven, I guess that's not really a problem now is it?"

"You know, I liked it an awfully lot better when you resorted to hitting me," he countered, "thankfully you can't talk _and_ hit me at the same ti – ow! What kind of guardian angel are you?!"

"The effective kind," answered Lilly, smiling pleasantly at his scowling form. "See, you cut back on your swearing."

Joe promptly glared at the blonde. "You seriously have problems."

"Well, I'm not the one going to Hell, now am I?" she retorted sharply. "I don't see how _I'm_ the one who has problems. I suggest you make some life changes now or you're destined to burn in the ninth circle."

"Oh, so there's no way to redeem myself?" Joe questioned, cocking a heavy eyebrow as his hand fell from his head to the side of his body.

"Well, no," she lied. "That's why I think you should give up your soul now, considering if you're going to continue living like this you'll be doomed to someplace in Hell no matter what you do to try to find salvation. In other words, you're going to Hell whether you like it or not."

The raven-haired boy smirked bitterly in response. "Some kind of guardian angel I have. I hope you're not getting assigned to anyone else after this."

"If I do hopefully it won't be another arrogant boy who thinks the world is at _his_ disposal," Lilly snapped in return.

"God, how long am I going to have to put up with you?" he groaned.

"Don't change the subject," she hissed. "You know you're as imperious as I said you were. Obviously something went wrong with you since your brothers seem level headed and have their feet on the ground."

"I didn't change," insisted Joe, although he was never quite able hold their eye contact; his gaze faltering the slightest. "I _didn't_ and I don't need some prude angel to tell me otherwise."

"Well my sources say you did," Lilly countered. "So I'd consider this a warning, Jonas. Rather, a stamp of fate. You know where you're going already and still you refuse to come to terms with it. Pride is a sin, you know."

"Listen, will you just cut the religious crap?!" he interrupted sharply. "I've got enough on my plate as it is and now I have some stupid invisible girl who claims to be an 'angel' following me around making me look insane! So I'd really just like for you to shut up for just a few minutes so I can think, unless I have no authority to do that either and it'll just result in me burning in Hell or whatever." The sarcasm laced within his tone had visibly cut Lilly across, rendering her wordless. No one had ever managed to silence her with such ease. Ever.

Impressive.

"I just want to help you," sighed Lilly. _Help you and steal that precious soul of yours_. "Obviously you're in deep and your ego is paying the price. I think it's time for a reality check."

"Says the so called 'guardian angel'," Joe mocked bitterly in return. He then lifted an arm and brought his hand to rub the nape of his neck before announcing, "but I suppose since you're sticking around I'm setting some ground rules."

"Ground rules?" she arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah," he nodded, "you know, the basics. Don't follow me into the bathroom –"

"Don't even bet on that!" she hissed as a light red tint adorned her cheeks and she hastily shook her head to rid the thought only to see vague images of a shirtless Joe. . . Oh god. No. No. _No_. Bad Lilly.

He shrugged. "Just making sure, alright? Anyways, no peeping. I've got enough girls as it is trying to rip my clothes off. What? I'm serious, okay? Next is when I'm trying to write a song I expect whatsoever _no_ interruptions."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," she rolled her eyes. "No interrupting the rockstar –"

"Try to keep your insults to the minimum when we're around the family – I don't take kindly to them and I'll probably try to say something back and, obviously since I'm insane and can only see you, my family will also believe I'm a lunatic and probably lock me up for a bit or get a therapist, either one." Joe paused momentarily before a disgusted expression etched across his face. "And I really don't want to give Nick and Kev the opportunity to call me insane. So no more episodes like this morning, alright?"

Lilly frowned. "I understand you think these are 'ground rules' but they're more so **your** ground rules and I don't get anything in return. There's really no reason to comply to them."

"Ugh, alright, what do _you_ want then?"

"Well, for one thing, you could cut back on your cussing," it was his turn to roll his eyes, however, nodded stiffly in agreement. "Treat me with respect 'cause I certainly don't have a choice to hang around you or not _and_ you better listen to me when I talk."

When the blonde glanced at Joe she surprisingly found a smirk tugging his lips upward and he stared at her through a curtain of his hair. Her stomach dropped. What the hell was he thinking? "You definitely drive a hard bargain," his smirk widened, "and I don't think I've met anyone so demanding since, I suppose, myself."

"_Hey_ I am nothing like you –"

"–anyways, deal." She clamped her mouth shut, gazing at him through suspicious eyes. He held out his hand and she suddenly pictured the man she met prior to this whole Jonas ordeal and how red, grubby, and unearthly his hands were. Fortunately, Joe's was quite the opposite. Fresh, normal colored, and alive. She hesitantly shook his offered hand with hers, heat radiating between their grasp, and she peered up at him with uncertainty.

_"But do keep in mind, you're allowed to do _anything_ in order to obtain the assigned soul. Lie, deceit,_ nothing_ is wrong my books. Do what you can."_

Joe Jonas, consider your soul sold.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Yeah, I know this update has been long wait but I kinda got stuck at a few parts. Oh and to clear up any confusion, Lilly feigns to be Joe's guardian angel, therefore, tells him to give up his soul because he's doomed to down under (and that's _not_ Australia if you know what I mean). But anyways, yeah, reviews would be awesome and help me update sooner :)


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